I would not pay that much for a puppy. I think other people would and I dont blame them if thats what they want I think its okay.

I just read the thread up to this post and I thought I would answer HONESTLY before I read the rest of the pages.

No, I wouldn't pay $3000 for your female runt
No, I wouldn't "bust you out", but I would steer clear of your dogs.
Yes, I would think less of you as a breeder

Kimberly, I respect your information and your beautiful dogs. I love your webpage and consult it often. I just wanted to answer honestly. I PMed you long ago inquiring about a female when we both first became members because I saw your dogs were high quality and beautiful.

If I were going to pay that higher price for a yorkie I think I would like to purchase form someone like your friend who holds on to them for a year. That definitely gives enough time for liver shunt or other problems to show up so you know your geting a healthy dog. I also think it is fair for breeders to charge fair market value for their dogs. So if they can get 4000 then I say go for it. Someone will pay it.

Someone will pay $4k, but it is probably going to be someone with a ton of money and who will think of their dog as an accessory. As hard as I try, I CANNOT fathom why 4lbs isn't small enough or even 3lbs, unless you have a valid reason like Brittie who had a tiny already. Otherwise, I don't get it and don't see a reason for IMO "ruining" a beautiful breed of dogs who are small to begin with.

Wow, this is a most interesting thread. I'm just in the process of purchasing a tiny. I've seen the ads and websites where some breeders are asking in excess of $5,000 for a tiny and for the life of me I don't understand why anyone would pay that when well bred healthy tinies are available at reasonable prices. I certainly expect to have to pay for the extra care and vet costs associated with producing a healthy tiny but if those costs are in the thousands of $ then I'm not interested in that dog.

If buying a pup I always try to by the runt of the litter, not because of size but for spirit. Most of my life we owned mixed breeds, everything from tiny terriers to a Newfoundland and picking the runt has never failed me.

I have owned several yorkies over the years, most of them rescues, but some which I have purchased from breeders. They've run the gamut as far as size is concerned, from 10 lbs down to 4.5 lbs and everything in between. I presently have one aging gal who is a rescue and she's cost us well over $8,000.00 in vet bills in the 8 years we have had her. This time around I will buy insurance for the new puppy.

I don't expect a breeder to provide a guarantee that the dog is never going to be ill. I do expect them to sell me a vet certified healthy dog with no known familial diseases or conditions.

Breeders do not however disclose hereditary conditions they learn about after the fact and to that extent you are taking your chances. It is really buyer beware. Thankfully we now have the internet so checking on a breeder's past successes or failures is fairly easy.

Anyone who does their homework beforehand will quickly learn that $4,000 and up is not the standard price for a tiny. They need to question that and if the answer from the breeder is "because the dog is a tiny" then walk away from that breeder or at least realize that you are being over charged. Some people will be more than happy paying an inflated price because they've fallen in love with the idea of owning a tiny.

On the other hand if I was a breeder of tinies my priority would be to make sure the dog was going to a home that understood the challenges of owning a tiny, it certainly would not be about $. Too many of these dogs are sold to people who don't have a clue what they are getting into. They are ill prepared for the costs and responsibilities of owning such a dog and the poor little things get bounced around from one owner to another until they end up at a shelter.

Why am I buying a tiny? I can no longer lift a 7 or 8 lb dog. I can afford to properly look after one and I've taken an extensive pet first aid course just to be on the safe side. I have years of experience with yorkies and know what I'm getting into. The alternative was one of those yippy little mexican chi's and I just couldn't see myself going there.

When I bought Chloe I wanted a tiny and she is now 7lbs of love. When I bought Lacey I wanted a tiny, she is 3 lbs of love. Honestly, I guess I'm a sucker because once I fell in love (at first sight), the last thing on my mind was price. I'll never be sure if the price I paid was "worth it" because to me, the answer is always a yes. However, when I get my third, I will still seek a tiny because I can handle a smaller dog better and if the breeder is reputable, I'll pay whatever that breeder feels is the right price.

Everyone wants a small dog, What is that all about, I wish the future parents would do some homework and read a site like this one, Then maybe they would learn something.. And stick to a standard.. (4) 5-7 lbs, The yorkie blood line would be healthier and maybe so many tiny puppies would get hurt..

While I agree that tinies should cost a bit more than standards because of the extreme care and maintenance and vet care they require, I DON'T agree with raising prices because there is a "demand". These are living beings not inanimate objects like a car or a home. Their cost shouldn't be higher just because there are crazy people out there who have no idea what they are doing but who will pay it.

However, having said that, I will say that if you can't devote a few thousand to your "tiny" then you probably can't afford it. I'm not saying this goes for all tinies but I have spent probably over $5000 in vet bills for Mia because of problems she's had since I've gotten her. Her spaying for example cost over $600 because of extra precautions they needed to take to protect her life during the surgery under anesthesia. Not to mention the several times I have had to go to the ER vet just since I've had her because of her breathing problems, stomach trouble, etc. You can't let a tiny with diarrhea or anything like that go because they could die in a matter of hours. I'm really not trying to flaunt money here, I'm just being honest sharing the experience I have had with Mia who is now 1 1/2 years old and weighs 2.0 lbs even. Again, Mia was bred by a breeder who was specifically trying to breed smaller and smaller, and I'm paying for it now. I love her to death but I really hope people know what they are getting into emotionally and financially when they buy a dog so small or choose a breeder that doesn't breed for standard yorkies.

Brittany I think your two are adorable and oh my quite the little models of clothes and tiny perfection...

interesting your post...glad to hear from your point of view~

Thanks Kimberly, I think this is a very important thread!

This afternoon , a woman called and ask me if I have yorkie puppies that will be 1 pound and under because she wanted one to impress her friends . I told her that I wasn't interested to have puppies so small . She tried and tried to convince me that I would do more money if I was breeding for them , I laugh at her and tell her to stop this crap .

I do not agree that you should pay more for a tinier pup. I paid the same price for my little girl as I would have paid for her bigger littermate had he been for sale.
From what I have gathered from her I do not think my breeder is overly thrilled to get a teeny tiny puppy either. That is not what she breeds for, sometimes it just happens.

What types of health problems do the tiny pups normally have?

I know that they are more susceptible to hypoglycemia. What else are they more susceptible to?

Tinies generally have poor structure with fragile bones, open fontanels are common, along with some hydroencephalic probs, mouth structures can be too small for good formation of teeth which can result in early loss or eating probs, collapsed tracheas are also common along with breathing problems. They need constant care and supervision, 24/7 because they can dehydrate quickly from one little bout of vomitting or diarhea and yes, hypoglycemia is almost a given. www.YTCA.org has a page on 'teacups' info.

Referring to an earlier post...I would never suggest that someone buy a pup with no health guarantee. Vets can only tell so much at a puppy exam and many genetic problems don't evidence themselves until much later.